Week 31 Prompt: Brother
Week 32 Prompt: Sister
This week’s 52 Ancestors theme is”Brother,” and next week’s theme is “Sister.” I decided to combine the two into one post and write about a brother and sister who are both direct-line ancestors.
It’s probably not an unusual occurrence in colonial times to see this happen, and I believe I have another instance, I just can’t remember it offhand. Because the one I’m writing about is on my Webster line, it naturally sticks with me.
Lieutenant Robert Webster (1619-1676) and Susannah Treat (1629-??) are my tenth great-grandparents. Two of their children, Deacon Jonathan Webster and Susannah Webster, are my direct-line ancestors. Generationally, one would think they would both be my ninth great-grandparents, but Susannah is actually my tenth (making Robert and Susannah also my eleventh great-grandparents). Totally confusing, right? Let’s illustrate!
So what are all the relationships?
Lieut. Robert Webster and Susannah Treat
- They are my tenth great-grandparents through their son Jonathan.
- They are my eleventh great-grandparents through their daughter Susannah.
Aaron Webster and Sarah Norton
- They are husband and wife, but also fourth cousins once removed (Aaron descends from Jonathan, and Sarah descends through Susannah.
- They are my fifth great-grandparents.
- Aaron is also my fourth cousin eight times removed.
- Sarah is also my fifth cousin six times removed.
A note for DNA: This is certainly something to take into consideration when mapping chromosomes related to Aaron and Sarah, and might also explain some of the closer estimated relationships with cousin matches where known relationships are a bit more distant.
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